Forgive even the worse

[BobHunt]

that is done against you! See attachment.

[David Cash]

I'm glad to hear the report about the Colorado family, Bob. The Amish behaved as I would expect them to. I didn't know much about the people in Colorado, and their reaction would suggest that they were Christians too. I would surely hope that for them.

David Cash

[Judy Hamilton]

I see Jesus in the faces and hearts and actions of the Amish peoples. I also see a people who are responding to this horror impaled on their lives and community in a manner that could perhaps generate some years later severe mental and soul issues for them, especially the children. The siblings of the Amish who were in essence commanded to forgive on-the-spot and were denied outrage and outward grieving in response to this severe insult to their hearts, is not good.

God tells us to weep with those who weep. Thus He knows weeping will occur as a normal sequence to a travesty, or a loss. When my sister was suddenly taken in death, I cried until there were no more tears. It took three years for the well of tears to dry. Most all of my crying was in private. And the healing was slow, however am a testimony that my heart was /is a wound that He healed totally. He did this in the gentle manner He has been healing broken hearts forever.

When the Amish children, and mothers, and such close community members tell others either verbally or in nonverbal cues...no crying!! And demand forgiveness to take place instantly... the flow of healing the Lord gives to us is interrupted, clogged if you will.
Their tears will be turned inward and not allowed questions will never find answers. And someday in the lives of these people there will be a sorrow to deal with that needed attention when the wounds were fresh and bleeding

Is it realistic to tell someone to forgive, and forget??

Is forgiveness not a place that each person, when forgiveness is sincere, must arrive at in their own heart and at their own pace??

I do feel that reaching out to the family of the one who murdered these Amish people is the face of Jesus

Oklahoma City in time, also reached out to the family, especially the mother of Timothy McVay. However as a community we were allowed to be openingly and clearly devastated at the travesty one person dispensed on the families and friends of 168 people here in OKC and the suburbs of OKC. We cried collectively. Our auto headlights were on during the day for two weeks, until all the funerals were said and done, as a way to tell others "I see your pain and am weeping with you"

Shusshing a normal human response to a tragedy is a tragedy

In Vietnam was written all over the faces of our medical teams receiving battle causalities...YOU CANNOT CRY!

There is NO CRYING IN VIETNAM!!

You need not search hard to find how in doing this at the time, though it seemed necessary to maintain focus, we were placing on ourselves an enormous weight of grief. And the load still has not totally lifted. For myself and for William and others who have turned to God and have a release and have found healing in the Lord. We are the fortunate veterans. There are many walking wounded...they look just like your neighbor; they may be your neighbor.


After awhile the load will also become heavy for the Amish community. Please continue to pray for their healing. They will not publickly allow a weakness and ask for our prayers. So just know that we, you and I, as a part of this beautiful Body of Christ need to shoulder their grief with our prayers.

Judy

[David Cash]

If it helps any, Judy, I don't think that the Amish will equate forgiveness with not grieving. They will see it as part of the healing process, a preequisite to healing, perhaps. Based on my experience with the Mennonites, I would expect them to weep even as they forgave. The difference being that the tears would be tears of pain rather than of anger or hatred.

Forgiveness on command is very much a part of the way they approach all the teachings of Jesus. If He said it, you do it. I guess they're right, but most of us would have a hard time taking things to the level they do.


David Cash